Hub structure for metal wheels



Dec. 6, 1927.

o. A. PARKER HUB STRUCTURE FOR METAL WHEELS Filed May 18. 1921 s Sheets-$heet 1 Dec. 6, 192 7.

O. A. PARKER HUB STRUCTURE FOR METAL WHEELS Filed May 18 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jaw/72w" Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,541

0. A. PARKER HUB STRUCTURE FOR METAL WHEELS Filed May 18, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lll Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

oRR-ELA. PARKER, :or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HUB swans-mums Fon- METAL HEELS.

Application filed May 18,

This invention relates generally to me tallio Wheels and more particularly to'a,

novel construction of hub structure, the object being to provide a strong and simple heel comprising tubular sp'okes together with the necessary meirirsi'tor spacing and bracing the .saine'and vvherebythere 'provided an exceedingly light Wheel'w'hich will possess all the necessary strength to withstand la'te'ral torsional andradial strains.

Another object o fthe invention is to provide a {metal wheel embodying these characteristic fca'tures i'vh'ich can be manufactured at a minirn' um cost. I

lVith 't'hesevarious objects in view the invention consist-sin the novel I features of cons'ti'uc't ion, "and in the manner of combining orarranging the $31116, all of Whichrvill 'be ffullyfdeseribed hereinafter and pointed out 'in the appended elai'inis.

Infthe drawings for11'1ing a part of the s ecificationfiig. 1 is a side elevationfpart- 1y in section of one construction "of a wheel embodyin my inventionjFig. '2 'isa'sirnilar view showing th e spokes formed with flattenediinner portions; Fig. 3 is asiinilar view showing a slight. modification ot "the constructions'liowvnin 2; Fig. i is a siniilar View showing a still further modification;-Fi'g."5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 55 ofFig. 3 ;Fig.6is a detail perspective view of one o ithe 'gussets' employed to connect the inner portions of two adjacent spokes; Fig. is 'avertical sectional View of one of said .gussets; 8 and9 show sectional vievvsofniodi'fied details of con'truction; nd Figsf10and 111are modifietl' forms of'gusse'ts.

ill

In carryingout my invention Ieinploy a 4-0 plurality of sheetineta'l tubular spokes "10,

it being understood that any desired number of spokes maybe employed, and in the drawings I have illustrated a 'n 'heel comprising ten spokes, fromof Which are'sli'ght 'l-y shorterthanthe other si'xythese four being provided at theirouter end with clainps "11, carried by bolts 12"Wo1'king in nuts 13 arranged in sockets 14 fixed in the ends of the iou'r short spokes, eachgc lamp fulcruming upon the shoulderor o'ifset 15 formed upon theouter face crime tubular spoke, adja'centthe end thereof. I

' Two or the "spokes, preferably" those dis posed directly opposite 'the central *clanip a; carry1ng=spokes,-are connectedby means of 1921. 'Seria1 No. 470,541.

a plate 17 said platebeing connected to the spoke ends by Welding or any other suit able manner and closing "the ends thereof and the ends of the other spokes, Which are not provided with amps, are closed by means of plates orcaps 16, it desired.

The plate 17 may be provided with a valve stem opening 18 and also openings 19', to receive the driving lugs 20 carried by the deinountable tire carrying-rim 21.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3' theplate is provided with a valve stem opening 18 i inasinuch as the valve stem opening 22 in the rim is arranged adjacent to the diagonal split '28 but in the construction shown in Fig. 4the valve stein opening 22 is placed some distance to one side of the straight split 24 made in therim,-and in this construction it Will not "be" necessary to I have a central valve stein opening 18" in the plate.

The inner portions of the spokes T10 are connected by means of thin'sheetnretal gussets 28 in order to rigidly connect all of the spokes together, each gusset comprising a central or bridging portion '29 and the parallel'tapered Wingportions 30, and in prae ticeI prefer to *inake thecentral or bridging portion curved as shown and with curved end'sSl so as to fit snugly into con tact With the curved exteriors ofthespokes and providesubstantially unbroken unions between the spokes and'gussets.

Thejedge's of thefiat Wing portions 30 will "contact with the sides-of the spokes, the

edges'SQ of each adjacent pair of'gussets ap- A preaching each other as 3 most" clearly shown and thenby IYIGELHSIOE Welding torch or electrode I can quickly and-easily'weld the adjacent e'dges of the gussets to each other andto the spokes,"and*if desired], can solder,

Weld or braze along the lines Wherethe curved'ends 31 or the gusset contact with the spoke.

By means of these thinsheetmet'al gussets thus "arranged 'betweenthe innenportions of the'spokes and Weldedthereto I amiable'to provide an exceedingly cheap, simple and durable Wheel body ready to receiveithe'hub therein and to have thehub flanges applied thereto. Ifdesired, the innereclge's' of the gusset may beturned inwardlylas indicated at '33 antl' brought into contact With the inner por'tionsof the spoke ends'to prevent bulging or'buckling of said spoke ends.

' Theinnerjportions of the spokes 10 may be flattened substantially into the form of a rectangle as indicated at 26 with transition portions 27 between the round and flattened portions of the spoke. and the maximum diameter of this rectangular portion of the spoke is preferably the same as the llltlXlr mum diameter of the tubular portion oi the spoke, and I am theretl ore able to obtain the full strength of tho spoke at the inner end to withstand the lateral strains placed thereon, it being well known that the greatest strains are placed upon the spokes adjacent the in nor ends thereof.

The spokes having the flattened inner portions are connected by means of russ-sets Q5 exactly in the manner already doscribcth the edg s 32 being welded to the flattened portions of the spoke while the curved edges 31 are secured to the curved portions oi. the spoke just beyond the transition portions 2?.

A wheel body composed of tubular metal spokes having their inner portions flattened and connected together by means of the thin metal gussets will be light and at the same time strong and durable inasmuch as l have the full strength of the tube at the inner end to withstand lateral strains and provide rigid braces between the spoke ends in the form of the gussets tor the purpose of resisting circumferential strains to which the spokes are subjected.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the gussets extend to the extreme inner ends of the spokes but in the construction shown in Fig. 3 I employ a gusset- 85 which is somewhat shorter than the gusset 28 but is connected to the spoke ends in exactly the same manner and in addition to the gussets 35 I employ thin sheet metal spacing rings 36 oil. the same thickness as the gussets and which are applied to the opposite sides oi the spokes and preferably welded thereto.

It will be noted that in. the construction of wheel shown in, Fig. the flattened ends of the spokes are brought into contact with one another whereas in the construction shown in Fig. 2 they are spaced slightly apart. In the construction shown in, l ig. ii I employ a gusset and in connection therewith use i sheet metal spacing rings 38 which are also of less radial dimension than the rings ac and in this structure illlstrated in Fig. ii: the flattened ends of the spokes are also arranged slightly apart and between the ends thus spaced I arrange brace pieces 39 which are welded to the spoke ends before the rings are applied.

It is obvious that in case the hub flange bolts are passed through the spokes. it will be necessary to bore the tubular spokes centrally and in a six bolt huh I here two spokes for the passage of the hub bolts and the remainder of the bolts will pass either through the gussets or through the space between the gussets and rings. In case a five bolt hub is used in a ten spoke wheel, a bolt will pass througl'i each alternate spoke.

The rings are eui )loyed to lill up the space and provide proper bearin surfaces for the hub flanges and it desired the hub flanges l0 can be machined to receive the gussets as most clearly shown in Fig. 8 and in this event the spacing rings 35 and 36 can be dispensed with, and they can also be dispensed with when the spokes are sulliciently flattened at their extreme inner ends so that their greatest width is the same as the adjacent portion plus the thickness of the gusset as shown in Fig. 9 and they can also be dispensed with when the spoke ends are sntliciently widened to fill up the, space.

lhe connecting plate 17 of: a width co extensive with the width oi? the spoke ends and consequently I am able to apply the demtuintable tire carrying rim tothe wheel body with very little clearance owing to the tact that the broad telly band usually employed is dispensed with, and consequently the buttoning on of the rim can be accornplished with a very small clearance between.

the rim and the ends of the spokes carrying the clamps.

hen the demountable tire carrying rim made with a diagonal split the valve stem hole is preferably placed as close as possible to the split so that the valve stem spreader can bridge the same, and in this case the valve stem will be projected through the cen tral opening in the bridge plate, whereas when a straight split rim is provided the valve stem hole will be spaced some distance :lrom the split and in placing the rim upon the wheel, the valve stem can be arranged between two of the unconnected spokes as most clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The clamping levers or toggles employed in connection with this improved construc tion of metal. wheel are substantially the same as those. shown and described. in the Gibson Patent No. 986 152 and in Patents Nos. 1,188,353 and lfillalfifih granted to me.

It will thus be seen that I provide an ex ceedingly simple construction of sheet metal wheel, one which will be exceedingly light and at the same time possess great strength and durability, one which will lend itself to the quick and easy mounting and demounting of a tire carrying rim thereon properly positioned and tensioned, and one which can be used in connection with the ordinary type of hubs employed in wooden wheels.

I-Iavin thus described in invention.

wheel body, and gussets interposed between the inner portions of said spokes, said gussets comprising each an arcuate portion and parallel Wing portions, said Wing portions being connected to the sides of the flattened portions of said spokes, and the ends of the arcuate portion connected to the round portion of said spokes.

2. A Wheel comprising a plurality of tubular spokes, gussets interposed between the inner portions of said spokes and connectedthereto, and spacing rings arranged Within the gussets.

3. A Wheel comprising a plurality of tubular spokes, gussets interposed between.

the inner'portions of said vspokes and connected thereto, brace members necting the inner portions of said spokes and spacing rings arranged upon tne opposite sides of said spokes Within the gu'ssets.

4. A Wheel comprising a plurality of tubular spokes having their inner portions flattened, 'gussets interposed between the inner portions of said spokes and connected thereto, and spacing rings arranged Within said'gussets and connected to the sides of the flattened portions of the spokes.

5. A Wheel comprising a plurality of tubular spokes the inner portions of which are flattened, gussets interposed between the inner portions of said spokes and connected thereto, brace members connecting the inner portions of said spokes and spacing rings arranged upon opposite sides of the flat tened portions of said spokes and connected thereto.

signature.

ORREL A. PARKER. 

